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Choose strong passwords and keep them safe
Passwords are a fact of life on the Internet today; we use them for
everything from ordering flowers and online banking to logging into our
favorite airline Web site to see how many miles we have accumulated.
The following tips can help make your online experiences secure:
• Selecting a password that cannot be easily guessed is the first step
toward keeping passwords secure and out of the wrong hands. Strong
passwords have eight characters or more and use a combination of
letters, numbers and symbols (e.g., # $ % ! ?). Avoid using any of the
following as your password: your login name, anything based on your
personal information such as your last name, and words that can be
found in the dictionary, especially "password". Try to select especially
strong, unique passwords for protecting activities like online banking.
• Keep your passwords in a safe place and try not to use the same
password for every service you use online.
• Change passwords on a regular basis, at least every 90 days. This can
limit the damage caused by someone who has already gained access to
your account. If you notice something suspicious with one of your online
accounts, one of the first steps you can take is to change your
password.
Protect your personal information
Exercise caution when sharing personal information such as your name,
home address, phone number, and email address online. To take
advantage of many online services, you will inevitably have to provide
personal information in order to handle billing and shipping of purchased
